Randolph Hall

Randolph Hall, March 2012

Namesake

Varying from the majority of residence halls named for wives and mothers, Randolph Hall is named for Martha Jefferson Randolph, the daughter of Thomas Jefferson.[1. Alvey, Jr., Edward. History of Mary Washington College 1908-1972. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1974, 351.] Martha was nicknamed “Patsy” when she was younger.[2. “Martha Jefferson Randolph (1772-1836),” Monticello, http://explorer.monticello.org/text/index.php?id=3&type=7(accessed March 2, 2012).] Martha was born at Monticello and accompained her widowed father Thomas Jefferson on government trips and abroad to France.[3. Edward Alvey, Jr., History of Mary Washington College 1908-1972. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1974, 351.] In 1790, she married her third cousin, Thomas Mann Randolph. They had eleven children together and Martha too on the task of personally instructing them.[4. “Martha Jefferson Randolph (1772-1836),” Monticello, http://explorer.monticello.org/text/index.php?id=3&type=7(accessed March 2, 2012).] She served as “first lady” of the White House from 1802-1803 nad from 1805-1806 under her father’s presidency.[5. “Martha Jefferson Randolph (1772-1836),” Monticello, http://explorer.monticello.org/text/index.php?id=3&type=7(accessed March 2, 2012).] As “first lady” she was a gracious hostess, sociable, and intellectual. After Thomas Jefferson retired, Martha and her children lived with him at Monticello.[6. “Martha Jefferson Randolph (1772-1836),” Monticello, http://explorer.monticello.org/text/index.php?id=3&type=7 (accessed March 2, 2012).] At which time her husband served as governor in Richmond, Virginia from 1819 to 1822.[7. Alvey, 351.] Both her husband and father suffered from financial difficulties that plagued Martha. She was forced to sell Monticello in 1826 and move in with her oldest son, Thomas Jefferson Randolph.[8. “Martha Jefferson Randolph (1772-1836),” Monticello, http://explorer.monticello.org/text/index.php?id=3&type=7 (accessed March 2, 2012).] During this time she was estranged from her husband, but they reconciled in 1828.[9. “Martha Jefferson Randolph (1772-1836),” Monticello, http://explorer.monticello.org/text/index.php?id=3&type=7(accessed March 2, 2012).] After his death, she moved to Edgehill Estate in Albemarle County till she died in 1836. [10. Alvey, 351.]